Month: August 2015

What is “Tighten your belt”?

To “tighten your belt” means that you must lower your standard of living, because you have less money than you did in the past. The expression originates from the Great Depression, when money (and food) were scarce. “To have a good meal under your belt” meant that you ate heartily that day. If you did not have enough food, you would have to “tighten your belt” because you’d lost weight and your pants were falling off. (Source)

 

Happy Just Because Day!

August 27 is “Just Because” Day. While I could find no official origin for this day, I believe it’s a perfect time to enjoy the end of summer . Spend the day doing something that you want. Drive to the beach. Read a trashy novel. Or (as I did recently) clean out your bedroom closet so that it only contains clothes that fit! Whatever you choose, make sure that it’s something that you want to do and not something that is expected.

How to Blog About Just Because Day:

  • Anyone: Spend a day doing what you want and blog about it.
  • Bookstore Owners: Share your favorite summer reads.
  • Spa Owners: Describe the perfect “Just Because” day of pampering.
  • Travel Writer: List a few local destinations that would be fun to visit.
  • Life Coach: Explain the importance of rest and relaxation.

 

Reviewed – Hello My Name is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick

According to the back of Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick by Alexandra Watkins, 6 million companies and more than 100,000 products are launched every year. If you’ve ever tried to name a company or a product, you know that it’s mighty hard to do. In this short and easy-to-read book, the author thoroughly explains the attributes of a good name. She then gives lots of advice about how to choose an awesome name through research and brainstorming.

The book describes some great names (such as Amazon, Timberlake, and Church of Cupcakes). It also talks about some terrible names, including: “Xobni” (which is “in box” spelled backwards). “Speesees” which was chosen because the “Species” domain name was already taken, and “Canadian Tire” – a favorite Canadian mass merchandise retailer (and former employer of mine) that sells far more than tires.

I liked that the book included considerations for domain names. The domain names penisland.com (Pen Island) and findtherapist.com (Find Therapist) are two examples of names that should not have been chosen.

This book is a quick read that delivers on how to choose an awesome name.

What is “Close But No Cigar”?

This phrase means to almost be successful, but to miss out at the end. It is an American phrase that was first used in the 1935 film version of Annie Oakley. It originated because fairgrounds and carnivals used to give out cigars as prizes. If you fell short of getting the prize, you were “Close but got no cigar.” (Source)